Pneumatic cleaner.



L.fL. EEEEUSUN. PNEUMATICI CLEANER. AE'PLIOATIUN EILED JUNE 13, 1912. 4j f Patented July 28,1914-, 4 SHEETSAEEET 1.

wlTNEssEs y l mvENToR LIER Sori I LEONARD Bv l l ATTORNEY S L. L. FERGUSON. PNBUMATIG CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1912.

1,104,882, i Patenten@ 28,1914..

4 SHBBTSSHEBT z.

INVENTOR WITNESSES kunnen Lfqus'o.

4 l BY ATTORNEYS.

L. L. FERGUSON. PNEUMATIG CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l13, 1912.

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4 SHEETMAHEBT s.

7 INVENTOR Y WITNESSES` Lenmar I.. Fm

ATTORNEY .S

L. L. FERGUSON.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER. APPLIGATION FILLED JUNE 1a, 1912.

Patented July 2s, 1914..

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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v INVENToR ATToRN Ey s.

. TED suf-:Aras

PATENT-OFFICE.

LEONARDVL; rnaeusoNu-r CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNon TO JOIIN w. DNTLEY, or

CHICAGO,v

ILLINOIS.

BNE'UMA'IICCLEANER.

To all wvlio'm may concern: l

' 7037 Wabash avenue, Chicago, Illinois, have inventedvnew and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cleaners, of which the following is a specification. j

This' invention relates to cleaning devices, and vmore especially to a pneumatlccleaner of the type comprising a suction device mounted on wheels'and adapted to be pushed over the floor, being, providedl with suction 4creating devices actuated by the rotation' of its wheels to create asubstantially*continuous suction for. the purpose of displacing Ythe dust from the 4carpet orother surface over which the device is used and depositing itin the interior f the device. A

For this p urpose the device `comprises more 'particularly-:1 'suitable framing or housing for supporting and inclosing the' suction creating devices, which framing-is mounted at itsv rearpart on` wheels and carries in its interior -suction creating devices conveniently taking the -form of bellowsl which are actuated'by'the rotation of such Wheels. Below such housing and forward of lthe wheels vis arranged` a dust-box having at its forward end an opening through which the current of lairpasses, 'being drawn thereinto by the displacement of the air through the bellows above,vv and being screened by a suitable screening member interposed between `the top of the dust box and the housing above to separate the dust from the moving current of air. It has been found however, that the formand arrangement of the parts of the device which come into im\medi ate contact with the surface to be cleaned should be adapted to the particular requirementsof the use for which intended,.and therefore one of the Objects of the presentV rotative brush kwhich is intended to assist iii more eifectually raisingthe dust from the nap of'a carpet or similarfabric; and for' also permitting, if desired, a second air current to supplement the operation of such brush.

llo this end the devicehereshown com- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 13, 1912. -Serial No. 703,408.

prises a suitablehousing supportingland inclosing the suction creating devices, Whichhousing is adapted for thev engagement and Patented July 28, 1914.v

use therewith of ldetachable and interchange-'i yA device embodying the principles ofthe companying drawings which:

. l F lgure 1 is a View of the .device in elevation and lpartly in longitudinal vertical section,showing one of the. detachable and in ,terchangeable dust boxes in place. Fig. 2 is a view of such detachable dust box in bottom plan-view. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing adifferent form' of dust box. Fig. Lis a view of such second form' of dust box in bottom plan view. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of arportion of the brush housing showing the latterbroken away and a horizontal section through the brush bea-ring beneath. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the rear portion of the supporting'platform for the suction creating devices. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the rear wall anda portion of vthe bottom of thellast described dust box. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a. third form of dust box used in connection with the device. Fig. '9 is a bottom plan view of the last described dust box. Fig.l 10 is a view in side elevation of one of the bellows, with parts broken' away. Fig. 11 is a view in perspective .of one of the bellows bracketsfor engagementfwith the connecting rod for actuating such bellows. Fig. 19V is a view inside elevation of a modified form of the cleaning device and an addition-- nection therewith. Fig. ,13 is aview of the same device in bottom plan`1 view. Fig. 14 is a View in rear elevation of the complete device.

As Vshown in said drawings the permanent part of the device comprises a suit-- able framing or'housing including a platform 20 upon which are mounted-the suction creating devices in the form of bellows 22,'the latter being covered and protected by'a cover 23 having vertical side walls, and a sloping top which is curved at its ends to meet a high rear wall and a lower front wall, the said cover conforming to lthe general configuration of the bellows which it in closes; there being two or more Of the latter arranged longitudinally side by side with their hinged edges forward and their movable rear edges at the rear of such tending downward from the platform 20.

'{of tacks 42, and drawn smoothly over the.-

Each wheel carries a crank pin 3l engaging with. a connecting rod 32 which extends upward through a slot in the platform 20 for the purpose of actuating one of the bellows. Each-bellows as here shown comprises a pair of'lea'ves in the form of a flat board 36 and an open frame 36', one of them 36, being a movable leaf and the other 36 being mounted on'the platform 20 above described. Around the edges of the leaves 36 and 364and to the stationary platform 20 is secured a piece of flexible fabric39 which is folded to permit of the leaves being alter nately separated andbrought together to draw the ,air, into the space between them and expef'i/t therefrom. Through eachlof the boards are made air holesor openings 40,' 40,' and these are covered by inwardly and outwardly opening valves, each of which comprises a flat piece of flexible material such as leather 4l, secured to the surface of the board at one edge as by means openings by means of springs 44, wuhich are attached -to their opposite edges. It will be seen therefore that each strip of material will permit the air to pass through theopenings in .one direction but not inqthe reverse direction, and the two valves are arranged` to draw the air into the bellows through the bottom leaf and expel itthrough the other.

Tojthe rear end of each upper leaf is secureda bracketO comprising a Hat piece of metal bent into channel section which is slotted through a portion of its length along its folded edges to separate'the iange portions from ktheir connecting web portion,

such flange portions being then bent to extend laterally from the channel member in the form of ears 52, 52, which are nailed or screwed to the rear edge of the movable bellows leaf, the remaining part of the member from which the ears 52 are .separated forming a flat plate 53, which is similarly secured to the toi surface of suchleaf. The opposite end o the member is similarly slotted and the center portion cut away to leave parallel side plates 56, 56, which are connected to the vupper end of one of the connecting 'rods 32 by means of a pin 5S assing through such parts. Openings 59 1n the rear wall of the cover 23'permit the escape of air expelled by the bellows.

Below the platform 20 and covering the openings tOrtherethrough is a dust screen 60 comprising a. rectangular frame 62 to which'is secured one or more layers of dust separating fabric, as here shown comprisy ing ply of cloth or similar material `63 and a suitable screen 64C above it; the topmost layerof fabric bein placed slightly below the under surface of the platform 20 in order to afford an airspace between such surfaces and'. permit the air to be drawn through all parts of the area of such dust separating device. At each of the side edges of the platform 20 .are secured depending' brackets 65 to which are attached the ends I'of a forked handle 66, and also smaller brackets 68 from which depend a U-shapedA bail 69 for securing to such platform oneof the dust boxes described below.

At the rear of the platform 20, which ex tends beyond the rear wall of the cover 23,. is placed a handle rest 67 comprising a stationary bracket member 70 in which. is

pivoted a movable handle supporting mem' ber 7l; the latter,.when moved toward the cover 23 as indicated by its dotted position in Fig. 3, permitting the handle to be lowered past itand into ahorizontal position, when it :may be desired to pushthe device under low furniture.

Referring now more particularly tothe detachable and interchangeable dust boxes which are used in connection with'the permanent part of the device above described, one of them, shown in Figs. l and 2, comprises a rectangular box with vertical front, rear and side walls and a horizontal bottom but no top; the vertical walls being of the same outline as the screen .frame 62 and adapted to make close contact'. therewith along their top edges, such edgesbeing provided with a packing member` in the form of a gasket 72 of rubber or other suitable material. Toi-the bottom ofthe dust box fiat springs 75, and the dust'box is secured in place by slipping it through the bail '69 and then forcing the latter over the springs t0' compress them; each spring being reversely :curved at the center of its lbowed part to form a notch or depression-7 8 (Fig. 3) into which the bail snaps fdr securing the parts in place. The forward part of the bottom of the box and the lower part of thefront wall are cut away to form a large rectangular opening 8O in which is placed a transversely ar# ranged rotating brush 82 mounted on 'a hori' Zontal axis'and driven by ..wheels 84 which are journaled'lupon the forward'V part of thedust boxand engage with frictionwheels S5 secured to the endsA of thebrush shaft.-

Vertical reinforcing members or side plates 87 are secured to the forward part of the` side walls of the dust box and extendedy forwardto furnish supports for the wheels- S-i and for the ends of the brush shaft 88 which is journaled .in'bearings fixed in 'such side plates, the particular construction of these parts being illustrated and described are secured at each side downwardly arched f prisingja flat strip of metal bent into rectansmall-diagonally arranged plate or strip 97 f swept bythe rotating brush; it being notedy ing fabric,- the wheels will sink into it andr front edge of the bottom ofthe box is' also out through the opening in its front part.

'mounted brush. The side plates 87 are excleaned and form the end members of the to that a ove described and similarly proin connection with the4 dust box shown in Fig. 3, which is provided with `a similarly tended downward to meet the surface' to be brush housing. A curved bumper 90 comgular -shape and inclosed in a soft covering such as 'a rubber tube 91 is also secured to the side plates 874 and extends forward beyond the brush 82. The front part of the brush is covered by a cylindricallycurved guard 93, having its bottom edge rolled inward to form a smooth surface forl engagement withthe surface to `be, cleaned and to also'form a -small trough or -groeve 94 forcatching heavy ob'ects such as nails and other objects toofveavy, to be drawn into the dust box;iand'-in the bottom of sueh'rolled edge are ymade a number of perforations 95, in order -to prevent dust from settling andremaining insuch groove. A

withlits .bottom edgesimilarly curved ccm-- pletes -the vbrush housing and contines the entering currents of air to the area between` such two curled edges, which is the area that the bottom edge of the brush-housing lies slightly yabove the plane of the lower horizontal tangent to .thefwheela so that the device rests upon such wheels and proper traction is secured for the latter while unnecessary friction of such edge with the surface to be cleaned is avoided. VVen thedevice is used upon a carpet or simila yieldthe fabric will be drawn upward suiiicientl to prevent theleakage of air into the bru's housing around i'ts bottom edge.V Toi the fixed a vertical 'plate 98 which is bent horizontallyl inward at its top to form a smooth shelf overwhich the air current passes, such. plate serving to prevent the dust which enter's and is collected in the box from dropping In'Figs. 3 and 4.is illustrated another one of the detachable and interchangeable dust boxes, the same comprising vertical side, front,A an back walls and a bottom similar vided with a rotating brush mounted forward of its front wall, said brushbeingv journaled in bearings 110 which. are seatedA in elongated openings in side members 111' ixedto the forward part of the dust box and similarto the side members S7 above described. Into each of such side members is also made an opening in which is placed a coiled spring 113, which springs bear at their ends against the bearing members in order to press the friction disk` at the ends of the brush shaft into engagementwith Ithe driving wheels` 84; the outer endsv of such place of the guard plate 97 above described the front wallof the boxis downwardlyy extended to forni al collecting nozzle or clean-- ing implement 122 which" forins the rear wall of the brush housing, such nozzle being slot 123, leading into the dust bpx. It is de signedthatin the operation of the device ail' shallbe xdrawn-into the dust box both throughthe brush housing' and also through the slot 123 to ,the vrear -of it, in order that any dust which may escape thev combined operation .ofthe brush with the a'ircurrenty drawn/through its housing may be collected by the nozzle122. Means are provided how'- ever, for closing the opening -v.120 when it maybe desired to use the nozzle `l122 alone, such means comprising a valve in theiform of: a flat strip 125; attached to the ends of bowed rods 126 which are rpivoted tothe insides of the side walls of the dust box as indicated .at 127. The valve 125 may there fore be placed flat against the inside of the front wall of the dustj box covering the opening 120, as shown in Fig. 3, where it'willbe ti htly retained by' the springof the bowe arms 12.6 pressing it againstv such front wallgorgif desired :it may -be-.adjusted to `uncover. such opening" and swung into the -`.back part of the dust b ox where it will be maintained by its frictional engagement with the rear wall, as, indicated its dotted position in'Fig. 3. 'In Figs. 8 and 9 is`illustra ted a yform of .dust box similar to that last above vde- 4,scribed except that the rotating brush with its brush housing is omitted, the dust box comprising a bottom with side, front and back walls,`a`nd the front wall being made relatively thick and being extended, down- 'Ward in the form of a cleaningimplement or nozzle 130 through which is made an elongated opening or slot 132 leading from its vunder edge into the dust box; such under edge being vprovided withl a smooth contact provided with a long,narrow,transverse plate 133 ,through which is' cut the dust In Figs. 1-2 and 13 is shown a modified form -ofdetachable dust box. The suction creatingdevice or permanent part of the' apparatus includes a suitable housing 140 mounted upon a. platform 141 and is provided with a handle 142 similar to those abovel described, but the ineans for securing the Fdust box 'in place beneath the platform 141 comprises parts as follows: lBracket membersdepend downward from the under side of the platform--l141 at each of its side margins, each bracket member comprising their upper ends to the underside of the platform 141 as by screws 148. The two loop portions 146 form journals in which are mounted a rod or shaft bent at one end to form a crank arm 150, and at its portion between the two bearings 146 to form an eccentric part 152. It will be seen therefore that when the dust box is placedv in position against the under-side of the platform 141 andvover the horizontally extending rod, rotation of the latter will actto vary .the distance between its eccentric part and the bottoni of the dust box; and by placing the crank arm 150 in the position shown in the full lines the eccentric ortion 152 may be made to tightly clamp t e dust box against such platform; the pressure of the rod being received on small plates 155, 155, at each side of the bottom of the box.

I claim' as my invention:

1. n a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a suction creating device and operating mechanism therefor., of a detachable sweepings receptacle in communication with said suction-creating device and havinga brush adapted for engagement with the' surface to be cleaned.

2. InA a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a suction creating device and operating -mechanism therefor, of a detachable sweepings collecting compartment in `com1nunica.

\ tion with said device, arotary brush mounted in said compartment, and wheels on said detachable compartment engaging with said brush to rotate'the same.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a suction creating device, and a detachable dust collecting device havingva nozzle adapted for engagement with the surface to be. cleaned, a rotating brush, wheels on said dustcollecting device for rotating said brush, a brush housing having an opening in communication with said dust collecting device, and means for covering and uncovering said opening.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a vrotative brush,

a brush housing including a guard plate.

bent at its vbottom edge to form a trough, and provided with an opening through the bottom of such trough.

5. ln a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a suction creating device, a detachable dust collecting device having a part adapted for engagement 'with the surface to be cleaned, and means for clamping .such detachable dust collecting device to the suction creating device, such means comprising bracket members depending from such suc tion creatinmdevice andrsupport'ing a rotative shaft iaving an eccentric part adapted to engage with such dust collecting devices.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto *subscribed my name in the presence'fof two'witnesses vthis l8th day of J une 1912. y y

LEONARD L. FERGUSGN. v

Witnesses:

E. C. GRIMns, E. O. JOHNSTON. 

